


puzzle pieces

by seraimn



Category: Mad Max Series (Movies), mad max - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 08:43:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5620594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seraimn/pseuds/seraimn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cheedo works her way through the wasteland.</p>
            </blockquote>





	puzzle pieces

_we’re not going back._

Angharad says it with such a venom in her voice that Cheedo just can’t describe, almost like she actually believes it. From the first moment Cheedo had met her, she had been angry. At herself, the word, Immortan Joe. At the man who called her mother, who called all five of them mother. She hated the rooms they had, the food they ate, and how far they were from the ground. Once Cheedo had asked if she was ever grateful, even for a moment. She had replied that she hated everything they had. She was still angry now, but at least she could use it.

_coming to count the cost._

She sounded calm, as if there weren’t three powerful war parties with the only collective goal to retrieve her and kill Furiosa. Her eyes betrayed her voice though, appearing glazed and emotionless. She had retreated into herself again. Capable had told Cheedo once that she went places she would only be able to imagine. The darkest of oceans, and the whitest of clouds. Rain forests where there was a tree every other step, where clean water just fell from the sky like nothing. No matter where she went, there was plentiful food, water, shelter for everyone. Babies didn’t die being born, mothers didn’t die giving birth.

_it's not loaded yet!_

Toast was analytical. She had realistic values. Any time she was presented with an problem, she took very little time to figure out what the best decision was, she was often the tiebreaker. If someone asked Cheedo what she thought when Toast was so ready to load the gun, she would have said scared. She knew what they had to do to survive. While the other four of them had paired off - Dag and Cheedo, Angharad and Capable - she preferred to keep to herself. Focusing on learning, reading, experimenting. She still loved them all, she just showed it differently. But sometimes she had to switch off alone, and that was ok. 

_wring your hands, shake your head, but you’re not going back to him. you’re not going back to him!_

She did more than that. Cheedo had screamed. She tore her hair, she lashed out. Pounded the sand with her fists, stomped, flailed, threw herself on every available surface. She doesn’t know what she felt, only that it was white hot and her sister was there with her every second. When she was done, Dag held her hand, kissed her forehead. Supported her while she stumbled back into the cab. She took her into her arms and whispered. Where they were going, what they would do, together.

_many times._

Furiosa’s words didn’t console Cheedo much. She had known her for 450 days, but trusted her for 300. Their escape had been planned meticulously for months and months, but something just seems wrong, has seemed wrong since the beginning. She understands why she would want to help them, how she’s going to help them, how she has been helping from the beginning, but none of it clicks in her mind. It feels like a puzzle where the picture makes sense, but all of the pieces are just a bit off shape.

_look, it’ll be a hard day._

Fool couldn’t understate more. They had all fought through the same people, felt the same crushing fear, lost the same sister, and he didn’t know her like they did. She can still hear Angharad slip off of the tire guard. The sickening thump of her body hitting the sand as her scream was cut short. She feels her heart drop when she closes her eyes, when she sees the door slip off the hinges. Cheedo is still angry he didn’t go back.

_yeah, it feels like hope._

She knows why now. Everything is starting to makes sense. Clipping in place like a door in a frame. For once when she heard the word ‘hope’ she held no fear, no worry. She was excited for what the future held. She knew there would be more bleeding, more tears, more hurt, but it was ok, because they were not going back.

_rictus, take me back!_

She had never been the smart one. They thought her naive. The youngest, she had always been babied. She was never very bothered by it, but now she was determined. They may look at her differently after this, but she doesn’t care.

_he’s dead, he’s dead!_

**Author's Note:**

> something i started instead of doing homework lmao
> 
> edited toasts segment because of constructive criticism!


End file.
